THQ® Inc. (NASDAQ: THQI) and JAKKS Pacific, Inc. (NASDAQ: JAKK) today announced that development on their highly anticipated, WWE™ SmackDown!™ Here Comes The Pain™ for the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system is complete and the game is now in manufacturing. Created exclusively for PlayStation 2 by Yuke’s Co., Ltd. of Japan, WWE SmackDown! Here Comes The Pain is the next installment in one of the most successful video game franchises of all time. World Wrestling Entertainment™ licensed videogames have sold more than $350 million in the U.S. since 1999 with last year’s WWE Smackdown! game sold through more than 700,000 units in its first eight weeks at retail. WWE SmackDown! Here Comes The Pain is scheduled to ship October 27 in North America.

“We are thrilled with pre-release buzz from media and fans for WWE SmackDown! Here Comes The Pain, a perennial hit and top holiday seller for the past three years,” stated Peter Dille, senior vice president of worldwide marketing, THQ. “WWE SmackDown! Here Comes The Pain sets the bar for wrestling games and delivers all of the Superstars, legends, gameplay modes and authenticity that the fans demand.”

WWE™ SmackDown!™ Here Comes The Pain™ has been receiving high praise from the videogame press in anticipation of its holiday release:

“WWE Smackdown returns with a vengeance bringing the better graphics, harder-hitting presentation, and the deep gameplay you’ve been waiting for!” --- PlayStation Magazine
“Incredibly massive and refined. The sheer amount of questions we get everyday concerning this game is astronomical.” – IGN.com
“The legends are awesome, definitely what the fans have been asking for.” –Official Playstation Magazine

Marketing highlights for WWE SmackDown! Here Comes The Pain include:

National television campaign on FOX, UPN, MTV, Comedy Central, E!, Cartoon Network, TBS, ESPN and G4
Print campaign across major videogame and World Wrestling Entertainment publications
National point of purchase program at major game retailers
Coverage on the official WWE SmackDown! Here Comes the Pain web site, hosted by THQ.com
The #1 most requested game on GameSpot.com for the Playstation 2 in September

About WWE SmackDown! Here Comes The Pain
WWE SmackDown! Here Comes the Pain showcases more than 55 WWE Superstars including, Brock Lesnar™, John Cena™, Rey Mysterio™ and Goldberg™. The game includes an all-new story mode that is being created in conjunction with WWE writers depicting both fictitious story paths and classic WWE moments. The overall gameplay has been enhanced and features real-life attributes of strength, submission, technique, speed and stamina. These new attributes will allow players to wear down their opponents and take advantage of each Superstar’s unique abilities and extensive move sets. WWE SmackDown! Here Comes the Pain’s TV-style presentation will also be enhanced with new dynamic camera angles, realistic animations and improved arena and crowd elements.

For more information about the THQ/JAKKS Pacific World Wrestling Entertainment videogame franchise including WWE SmackDown! Here Comes The Pain and the rest of THQ’s 2003 holiday line-up, visit www.thq.com.

About World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc.
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: WWE) is an integrated media and entertainment company headquartered in Stamford, Conn., with offices in New York City, Los Angeles, Toronto and London. Additional information on the company can be found at wwe.com and corporate.wwe.com. For additional information on WrestleMania XX to be broadcast live on pay-per-view from Madison Square Garden in New York City on March 14, 2004, go to wrestlemania.wwe.com. Information on television ratings and community activities can be found at parents.wwe.com.

About JAKKS Pacific
JAKKS Pacific, Inc. is a multi-brand company that designs and markets a broad range of toys and leisure products. The product categories include: Action Figures, Arts & Crafts Activity Kits, Stationery, Writing Instruments, Performance Kites, Water Toys, Sports Activity Toys, Vehicles, Infant/Pre-School, Plush and Dolls. The products are sold under various brand names including Flying Colors®, Road Champs®, Remco®, Child Guidance®, Pentech®, Trendmasters®, Toymax®, Funnoodle®, Go Fly a Kite® and JPI Color Workshop™. The Company also participates in a joint venture with THQ Inc. that has exclusive worldwide rights to publish and market World Wrestling Entertainment™ video games. For further information, visit www.jakkspacific.com.

About THQ
THQ Inc. develops and publishes interactive entertainment software worldwide for a variety of hardware platforms including those manufactured by Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc., Nintendo and Microsoft as well as PC CD-ROM and wireless devices. The THQ web site is located at www.thq.com.

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August 23, 2004